Within the automated systems industry there are two main types of automated processing system s available in the marketplace, the high efficiency (specialized) system or the quickly configurable (flexible) system. The high efficiency systems produce thousands of units with a very high throughput per unit time, unfortunately, they are extremely difficult to reconfigure for a new device or a new programming job. Consequently, the high efficiency systems require a lot of down time and special training for the operators before implementation of a new device or new programming job can be put into production.
The quickly configurable systems are not high productivity systems but they are easy to configure. They can be reconfigured for new devices, new program jobs, and new input/output media because they are designed for very specific devices, programming jobs, and input/output media.
Both of the above systems fail to fill the need of small batch device production with varied device characteristics and performance for the rapidly changing needs of on-time demand customers. Lamentably, today's technology fails to even provide intelligent design and plug-and-play capability for most modules. For instance, many conventional systems require the development of specialized processes to connect and communicate with a programming system. Specialized dialogs and/or operating systems might need to be created for each module, and more often than not, these systems are unstable and cumbersome to operate.
Today's automated processing system s market needs to produce a system that can be easily and quickly reconfigured for new devices, new programming jobs and/or new input/output media.
Thus, a need still remains for an automated processing system that can be easily and quickly reconfigured. In view of the ever-increasing need to save costs and improve efficiencies, it is more and more critical that answers be found to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.